Kate & Allie Star Susan Saint James Played Two Characters On Raymond Burr's Classic Cop Drama
Before she became famous, "Kate & Allie" star Susan Saint James played a couple of very similar characters in the long-running cop drama "Ironside."
Susan Saint James, who became renowned for her role in the 80s sitcom Kate & Allie, made her acting debut in the classic 1960s cop drama Ironside. The show starred Raymond Burr as a former San Francisco detective named Robert Ironside, who continued solving cases using intellect rather than physical strength after a traumatic shooting incident forced him out of active duty. Ironside ran for eight successful seasons from 1967 to 1975 before NBC attempted a brief reboot in 2013.
James made two appearances in the first season of Ironside, just two months apart. In the "Girl in the Night" episode, she played Elaine Moreau, a mysterious singer with short hair who meets Ironside's colleague, Detective Sergeant Ed Brown, played by Don Galloway. Their relationship progresses over time, but Elaine's sudden disappearance leads Ironside to investigate her past, which is entangled with mob connections and ultimately results in tragedy.
In another episode, "Something for Nothing," James reprises her role as a short-haired singer named Verna Cusack, part of a musical duo with her husband Tommy, played by James Farentino. This time, she portrays Cusack when Ironside discovers that Tommy is indebted to a crime boss named Roy Faber, played by Vincent Gardenia.
Despite these unusual casting choices, James was lauded as one of the most underrated TV stars of her generation following her passing in October 2026 at the age of 80.
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